'Getting to Know Your Baby': delivering a universal antenatal home visit

Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Division, part of Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Trust was identified as a 'quasi' Early Implementer site. The organisation chose to focus on strengthening the health visitor parenting work in pregnancy and early months by providing health visitors with the current evidence base best practice in relation to skills and methods of working with families, and by way of doing this to develop clinical leadership in order to enable health visitors to lead service change. The health visitors involved developed, implemented and evaluated a piloted universal antenatal home visit. The aim of the visit was to build a supportive relationship between clients and the health visitor, using a motivational interviewing approach, to prepare them for parenthood and to promote bonding and attachment. It was anticipated that this would also create an opportunity for the early identification of any concerns or issues and the provision of support and referral if appropriate. The project was evaluated by parents and health visitors alike. Fourteen women and three men were seen during the pilot and although this was a relatively small number, due to the issues discussed, key themes were identified and positive feedback received from all involved. Health visitors stated this way of working empowered the parents as the visit was more parent-centred and less didactic. Following on from the original pilot further work was completed and it is now envisaged that a universal high quality antenatal contact will be delivered to all clients within our Trust in the very near future.